Lawful Permanent Residents

Lawful Permanent Residents Abroad Wishing To Return After Being Outside The United States For More Than A Year

If you have remained outside the United States for more than a year and have not applied for a reentry permit (Form I-327) with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before your travel abroad, you may have lost your status.

If you are unable to return to the United States within the travel validity period of the Alien Registration Receipt Card, you may apply at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana for special immigrant Returning Resident (SB-1) visas, and a consular officer will determine whether you are qualified for readmission. In order to qualify for readmission, the following conditions must apply:

1. You were a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the U.S. at the time of the departure;
2. At the time of the departure, you had the intention of returning to the U.S.;
3. While residing abroad, you did not abandon the intention to return to the U.S., and
4. You are returning from a temporary residence abroad; or if the stay was protracted, this was caused by reasons beyond your control.

If all of these conditions apply and you wish to apply for readmission, you may do so at the consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Tirana. To apply, please send an e-mail to evisatirana@state.gov to make an appointment for an interview. To this interview, you must bring documentary evidence of continued U.S. residence which may include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. A U.S. driver's license reflecting same address as that recorded on form I-94 “Arrival Departure Record”;
2. The name and address of your U.S. employer;
3. Evidence of children's enrollment in a U.S. school;
4. Evidence that the extended visit abroad was caused by unforeseen circumstances, out of your control;
5. Evidence of having filed a U.S. income tax return(s) for the past year(s);
6. Evidence of property ownership in the U.S.

Please be advised that the application fee for this service is $400.00 per person, non-refundable.

For more information on Returning Residents please visit the U.S. Department of State's website at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1333.html.